So now it’s the turn of some Syrians to pitch their take over caps in our direction. For comments on this read yesterday’s article by deleting the names of the other bidders and inserting theirs!

Nearer to home and don’t know what they’ve been putting in the water in West London recently but it isn’t Liverpool Football Club friendly. Both Chelsea and Fulham had their own individual pops at us yesterday. What are the chances of QPR completing the hat trick?

Chelsea started it with Carlo Ancelotti suggesting they will be having the last laugh over the “exchange” of Joe Cole for Yossi Benayoun.

“Everyone has an opinion, Joe had a fantastic career at Chelsea but this year is another year. Joe Cole was quicker than Yossi, but tactically Yossi is better. He understands what I tell him. Yossi is a very intelligent player”

Not a very diplomatic way of suggesting that Joe Cole is thick? Or may be it’s simply because he feels Yossi understands Italian better? Cole is younger but has more experience at the top level, both domestically and internationally. To me also it’s partly a question of attitude which in turn tells you more about the man and the player. Joe Cole certainly joined us to get the regular first team football he wasn’t getting at Chelsea and has said some nice things about the club since he joined as well as his former employers. Beneyoun on the other hand was unnecessarily ungracious about Liverpool. During his time with us he was also quick to complain about being left out by Rafa to the point that on at least two occasions he threatened to move. I don’t think Benayoun is guaranteed first team football at Stamford Bridge so surely it will be only a matter of time before the same moaning and whining repeats itself? Who will have had the best of the deal when that happens?

Across to Hammersmith and Fulham owner Mohamed Fayed demonstrated just what a classless act he has proved to be over the time we have known him. Rather than thanking Roy Hodgson for giving his team and their fans their best season ever and wishing him the best of luck in his new challenge he saw fit to ignore all that in favour of vitriol.

“Mark Hughes has inherited a great team which had fantastic results but unfortunately this guy (Hodgson), after we put him where he is now, he took advantage and left us,”

I can’t prove it but surely most Fulham fans understand HRH leaving to us and still hold him in high regard for what he achieved so surely Fayed, by criticising in this way, is tapping into a fruitless seam? Secondly I don’ think Fulham put HRH “where he is now”. One only has to look at Roy’s CV before this to see what nonsense this is. HRH responded by saying

“I tried to persuade him that Liverpool were a big club but I failed, I can only thank him for the time I had at the club. It would have been good if he could have said something nice about me but I guess I will have to take it on the chin”

Sadly and incorrectly it would seem that that in Fayed’s world no one is bigger than him?

And so to tonight’s second leg against Rabotnicki. With a comfortable lead HRH has many options open to him but, with the start of the Premiership only ten days or so away, it seems that he will opt for fielding a strong side?

“I will put out the strongest team possible”

See I told you!

I guess this means Carragher and Gerrard building on Sunday’s run out against Borussia Moenchengladbach. Presumably it is still too early for the like of Torres and the other World Cup finalists to be considered? I expect those first teamers who missed out on Sunday but played in the first leg will return, probably giving us a starting line up nearest to one HRH would want to field against Arsenal in two Sundays time? That said hopefully there will be an opening in the side for the likes of Martin Kelly who played well last week. It goes without saying that it would be nice if we can finish the first game at Anfield this season with a win. However above all I guess HRH will trying to up fitness levels and team work with a view to the first Premiership game.